Deputies will not pay parking fines

By Athena Karsera

AT LEAST one of seven deputies will refuse to pay a fine for illegal parking outside the House of Representatives, his office said yesterday.

The office of Akel deputy Kyriakos Tirimos said that he, and probably the other six other deputies, would not pay the fine served to them on Tuesday. Members of the House can claim parliamentary immunity to refuse to pay the fine.

The police yesterday named the deputies given tickets for illegal parking as Disy deputies Ouranios Ioannides and Sophoclis Hadjiannis, Akel deputies Tirimos and Takis Hadjigeorgiou, Diko deputy Stathis Kittis and Edek deputy Ilias Myrianthous.

Tirimos’ office stated that he and the other deputies would not pay the fines, not because of their immunity, but as no alternative parking was available to them.

Other deputies were unavailable for comment, with some offices pleading ignorance on the entire matter.

The road outside the House also passes by Nicosia General Hospital and is one of the busiest in the capital.

Because deputies’ cars and press vehicles are not usually given tickets, other citizens also tend to park illegally and passers-by are used to the sight of congested traffic and cars parked wherever they can fit, including on the pavement. This causes problems for drivers and pedestrians, who are often forced to walk in the street.

New Police Chief Andreas Angelides this week stepped in to clean up the situation, ordering officers to give tickets to any car parked illegally in front of the House, irrespective of whom it may belong to.

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